Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP17AC00949 01
The American Solar Challenge: National Trail System 50th Anniversary Celebration - MWRO is a National Park Service (NPS) discretionary funding opportunity structured as a cooperative agreement (Funding Opportunity Number: NPS NOIP17AC00949 01; CFDA: 15.954). It supports a partnership between the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and the Innovators Educational Foundation (IEF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes and runs multi-state solar-car rallies. The core idea is to use the American Solar Challenge (ASC), a long-distance collegiate solar vehicle event, as a public-facing educational and interpretive platform that connects modern clean-energy innovation with the history and significance of the National Trails System.
The project centers on the Oregon National Historic Trail (ONHT), selected as the route for the rally in connection with the National Trails System 50th anniversary celebration in 2018. Because the ONHT is a long corridor that crosses many jurisdictions, including multiple national parks along with other federal, state, local, and private lands, it provides a ready-made framework for broad public engagement. The event is designed not just as a race, but as a traveling demonstration of solar technology and student-led innovation that moves through park sites and gateway communities, creating repeated opportunities for visitors and residents to interact with teams, learn about solar engineering, and reflect on how past American migration and exploration stories relate to present-day problem solving and technological progress.
A major emphasis of the agreement is experiential education. Collegiate teams are challenged to design, build, operate, and manage solar cars over long distances, which inherently requires applied engineering and systems thinking, but also practical skills like logistics planning, safety coordination, budgeting, fundraising, communications, and public affairs. In parallel, the NPS interpretive mission is advanced by weaving trail history and National Trails System themes into the event experience. The cooperative agreement format signals that NPS expects to be actively involved alongside the recipient in planning and delivering aspects of the project rather than simply issuing a stand-alone grant with minimal federal participation.
The stated objectives are a mix of public interpretation, youth engagement, and resource stewardship outcomes. They include engaging visitors with interpretive themes tied to the National Trails System, the Oregon National Historic Trail, and broader American innovation; creating a strong educational environment that pushes collegiate participants to learn about a significant chapter of U.S. history while they compete; giving youth meaningful roles in connecting the public to that history; and using the rally as a way to celebrate the 50th anniversary milestone. The agreement also aims to broaden awareness of national trails and associated history among new or nontraditional audiences, highlight the collaborative nature of trail administration (with NPS involvement alongside many public and private owners and managers), and engage the public with trail resources in ways that support understanding and long-term protection.
In practical terms, this opportunity funds one award with an expected maximum federal amount (award ceiling) of $60,000 and anticipates a single recipient. Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status that are not institutions of higher education, aligning with IEFs nonprofit role as the organizer and coordinator of the solar challenge. The opportunity was posted March 27, 2018, with an original closing date of April 9, 2018, and it is categorized under several activity areas including community development, education, energy, environment, science and technology, and other research and development, reflecting the projects blend of STEM competition, public outreach, and place-based historical interpretation.Apply for NPS NOIP17AC00949 01
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the community development, education, energy, environment, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "American Solar Challenge: National Trail System 50th Anniversary Celebration- MWRO" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.954.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 27, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 09, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $60,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity called?
The opportunity is titled "The American Solar Challenge: National Trail System 50th Anniversary Celebration - MWRO."
Which federal agency is offering this award?
This is a National Park Service (NPS) discretionary funding opportunity under the U.S. Department of the Interior.
What type of award is being offered?
The funding is structured as a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates active federal involvement alongside the recipient in planning and delivering parts of the project (rather than a standalone grant with minimal federal participation).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NPS NOIP17AC00949 01.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 15.954.
How much funding is available?
The expected maximum federal amount (award ceiling) is $60,000.
How many awards does NPS expect to make?
The opportunity anticipates one award and a single recipient.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status that are not institutions of higher education.
Are colleges and universities eligible applicants?
No. The eligibility language specifies 501(c)(3) nonprofits that are not institutions of higher education, even though the event itself involves collegiate teams.
Who is the intended partner/organizer referenced in the description?
The opportunity supports a partnership involving the National Park Service and the Innovators Educational Foundation (IEF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes and runs multi-state solar-car rallies, including the American Solar Challenge (ASC).
What is the American Solar Challenge (ASC) in the context of this project?
The ASC is described as a long-distance collegiate solar vehicle event. In this project, it serves as a traveling, public-facing educational and interpretive platform rather than only a race.
What is the main purpose of this project?
The core idea is to use a multi-state solar-car rally as a public engagement and educational tool that connects modern clean-energy innovation with the history and significance of the National Trails System.
Which national trail is central to the project?
The project centers on the Oregon National Historic Trail (ONHT), which is selected as the rally route in connection with the National Trails System 50th anniversary celebration in 2018.
Why was the Oregon National Historic Trail chosen as the route?
Because it is a long corridor that crosses many jurisdictions and includes multiple national parks as well as other federal, state, local, private, and other lands, making it a ready-made framework for broad public engagement across many communities and sites.
How is the event intended to function for the public?
It is designed as a traveling demonstration of solar technology and student-led innovation that moves through park sites and gateway communities, creating repeated opportunities for visitors and residents to interact with teams, learn about solar engineering, and connect those experiences to trail history and National Trails System themes.
What does NPS mean by an "interpretive platform" in this opportunity?
Based on the description, the rally is used to advance the NPS interpretive mission by weaving trail history and National Trails System themes into the event experience and public-facing activities.
What are the key objectives stated for the cooperative agreement?
The objectives described include: engaging visitors with interpretive themes tied to the National Trails System and the Oregon National Historic Trail; creating an educational environment where collegiate participants learn about a significant chapter of U.S. history while they compete; giving youth meaningful roles in connecting the public to that history; and celebrating the National Trails System 50th anniversary milestone.
How does the project emphasize experiential education?
The event challenges collegiate teams to design, build, operate, and manage solar cars over long distances, which involves applied engineering and systems thinking, along with practical skills such as logistics planning, safety coordination, budgeting, fundraising, communications, and public affairs.
How does the opportunity connect clean-energy innovation with history?
The rally is intended to pair modern solar engineering and student innovation with opportunities for the public to reflect on how historic migration and exploration stories along the trail relate to present-day problem solving and technological progress.
What audiences is this project trying to reach?
The description emphasizes broad public engagement, including visitors at park sites and residents of gateway communities, and specifically mentions broadening awareness among new or nontraditional audiences.
How does the project address stewardship and protection of trail resources?
The opportunity aims to engage the public with trail resources in ways that support understanding and long-term protection, and to highlight the collaborative nature of trail administration across many landowners and managers.
What does the cooperative agreement structure imply about NPS involvement?
It signals that NPS expects to be actively involved alongside the recipient in planning and delivering aspects of the project, rather than simply issuing funding with minimal federal participation.
What activity areas are associated with this opportunity?
The posting categorizes the opportunity under community development, education, energy, environment, science and technology, and other research and development.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on March 27, 2018.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date listed is April 9, 2018.
How does this project relate to the National Trails System 50th anniversary?
The rally route and programming are explicitly tied to celebrating the National Trails System 50th anniversary milestone in 2018, using the event as a public engagement vehicle for that commemoration.
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